This invention relates to a method of treating depression by administering to a patient in need thereof several active compounds forming a novel combination. The invention also relates to pharmaceutical composition claims which incorporate the novel combination of active compounds. The compounds which form this novel combination are all known and are known for their adrenergic, antihistamine, analgesic or antipyretic uses, such as for example to relieve the symptons of a common cold.
I have found that by using a particular combination of these compounds, in a particular dosage range an antidepressive yet tranquilizing effect results. As such using my combination for this use avoids the use of other well known, costly, prescription only tranquilizers or antidepression drugs with their resultant potentially dangerous and in many cases unknown side effects and habit forming tendencies. The compounds which make up my combination are readily available, are quite safe for their uses, and are not as costly as the prescription tranquilizers and antidepressants.
The compounds to be administered are as follows:
(1) Phenylephrine hydrochloride which is (R)-3-hydroxy-.alpha.-[(methylamino)methyl]benzenemethanol hydrochloride. This compound alone has a therapeutic use as an adrenergic. PA1 (2) Phenylpropanolamine hydrochloride which is chemically known as .alpha.-(1-aminoethyl)benzenemethanol hydrochloride. This compound when administered alone or in its hydrochloride salt form is an adrenergic (vasoconstrictor) agent also. PA1 (3) Phenyltoloxamine which is N,N-dimethyl-2-[2-(phenylmethyl)phenoxy]ethanamine. This compound when administered as the dihydrogen citrate salt is useful as an antihistamine. PA1 (4) Acetaminophen which is N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-acetamide. This compound when administered alone is useful as an analgesic or antipyretic. PA1 (5) Ammonium Chloride. This compound when administered alone has a therapeutic use in the pharmaceutical field as a systemic acidifier.
All the above compounds and their listed therapeutic uses in the pharmaceutical field are known from the prior art, i.e., all are disclosed in the Merck Index, Ninth Edition.